How To: Dating & Debating in 2016

Here at Zola we don’t have any political affiliation, but we know that dating and debating in 2016 has never been as complicated! Years ago you might have been told that political conversations have no place at the dinner table, but those days are over. Discussing politics is no longer a faux pas; it is crucial to any relationship. We decided to survey our couples on the issue. Read on for tips from Jennifer Spector, Zola’s Newlywed-At-Large.

The Survey

We recently surveyed over 800 of our couples to find out just how many are in politically divided relationships. We also wanted to know how many millennials would marry somebody who is voting for the other side in this year’s upcoming election. Interestingly, we found that when it comes to love, Republicans are actually more flexible than Democrats!

Democrats:

When asked if they would marry somebody who is voting for Donald Trump:

93% said, “No, are you insane?!”

Only 7% said, “Yes, love knows no bounds.”

87% of survey respondents who identified as Democrats are married or engaged to a person of the same political party.

Republicans:

When asked if they would marry somebody who is voting for Hillary Clinton:

59% said, “Yes, love knows no bounds.”

41% said, “No, that would be insane!”

84% of Republicans are marrying or engaged to another Republican.

Independents:

We asked Independents both questions:

77% said they would have no problem marrying a Hillary Clinton supporter.

40% said they would have no problem marrying a Donald Trump supporter.

On the flip side, 60% of said they would never marry a Donald Trump supporter

Only 23% said they would never marry a Hillary Clinton supporter

Only 29% of Independents are married or engaged to another Independent.

Tips for Navigating Love & Politics In 2016

Here are a few tips from Jennifer Spector, Zola’s Newlywed-At-Large, for how to date & successfully debate this election season!

Express your opinions completely and thoughtfully. It’s too easy to get wrapped up in an argument and forget to articulate yourself completely. Take a deep breathe and tell your date to do the same.

Check your ego at the door. Remember that everybody is entitled to his or her own opinion, but you are not entitled to force your opinion on somebody else. It’s a free country after all!

Try to find common ground. You might not belong to the same political party, but that does not mean you do not share any of the same values. Dig a little deeper; what are your opinions beyond the candidate’s name on topics such as taxes, immigration and equal pay.

Maybe you agree to disagree. Arguing about politics is bound to happen this year, but how you argue is a predictor of how successfully you will deal with disagreements in the future.

Or, maybe it’s a deal breaker. For many couples, this is the most divisive election of their lifetime so far. If you simply cannot move past a date’s political party or agenda, move on! He or she is simply not the one.